Plan afoot to cope with water-logging

About 25 per cent water is wasted in canals

SIALKOT: Under the directives of the Punjab government, a four-year plan has been chalked out worth over Rs2.14 billion for promotion of agriculture and prosperity of farmers in the province.

Sources in the Agriculture Department said on Sunday that under the plan, special attention would be paid to reclaim water-logging and salinity hit lands in different districts of the province. About 25 per cent water was wasted in canals, 30 percent in water-courses and 35 per cent was wasted in the fields, reducing water to 45 million acres per feet, whereas the required water quantity was 65 million acres per feet for crops annually in Punjab.

The adoption of modern irrigation methods would help save 40 to 60 percent of water as well as help save 30 to 60 percent wastage of fertilisers. The Punjab government has set aside Rs4.76 billion for a three-year plan for promotion of per acre yield in the province. Under the programme special attention has been paid to introduce modern irrigation technologies.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2018.